Expandable headband cap



O 7. 1969 c. E. BLACKBOURN 3,

EXPANDABLE HEADBAND CAP Filed March 15, 1966 CHARLES E. aLAckaoun/v INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,470,565 EXPANDABLE HEADBAND CAP Charles E. Blackbourn, 105 Lexington Ave., Bloomfield, NJ. 07003 Filed Mar. 15, 1966, Ser. No. 536,575 Int. Cl. A42b 1/04, 1/22, 1/24, 7/00; A4ld 13/00 US. Cl. 2-8 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A work cap having a plurality of spaced flaps extending from the rim thereof, the ends of the flaps being attachable to the cap crown by snap-fastener elements, thereby to attach the cap to the headband of an arc welders helmet. Tucks are sewn in the crown between the flaps, which tucks can be let out to increase the nominalvolume of the crown.

A cap made in accordance with this invention is an improvement over the cap shown in my co-pending application Serial No. 446,129, filed June 22, 1965, and entitled Arc Welders Attachable Cloth Cap.

The improved cap is adapted for use in conjunction with the adjustable headband of face shields, masks, helmets or headrest goggles. Such safety equipment, with the exception of headrest goggles, includes an overhead band, or strap, which rests upon the head of the user, thereby to support the weight of the equipment. The overhead band is undesirable as it concentrates the bulk of the weight on a relatively small area of the head, it impedes air circulation between the head and the band, and results in friction and wear at the vital crown area.

A work cap made in accordance with this invention is provided with a plurality of flaps and snap-fastener elements by means of which the cap is attachable to the flat headband of a conventional arc welders helmet. A plurality of tucks are sewn in the crown of the cap to provide a crown having a minimum, nominal volume. One or more of the tucks can be let out by the user, thereby to increase the crown volume to match, substantially, that of his head. In any event, the cap, when attached to the headband, contains and confines the operators head so that it cannot be inserted beyond a predetermined extent, that is, the crown of the cap embraces the head fairly snugly. Thus, the weight of the helmet is distributed over a much larger area of the head. The conventional overhead band of the helmet can be eliminated or, in the case of helmets having an adjustable overhead band, such band can be adjusted to its high limit so that it is spaced above the cap crown.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters denote like parts in the several views:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a work cap made in accordance with this invention; and

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

Referring now to the drawings, the cap comprises a crown 10 terminating in a rim 11 formed of a plurality of layers of the material. An elongated front flap 12 and a side flap 13 extend from the rim and carry snapfastener elements 14. Although not visible in FIGURE 1, a second side flap, similar to the flap 13, extends from 3,470,565 Patented Oct. '7, 1969 the other side of the rim at a point opposite to that of the flap 13. These flaps, preferably formed of double layers of the material, are shown in the turned-up positions with the flap ends fastened to the crown by means of the snap-fastener elements 14 and cooperating snapfastener elements carried by the crown. When the cap is attached to the fiat headband of a helmet, the headband is positioned between the cap rim and the flaps. Three sets of tucks are formed in the crown, the side tucks 15 and a portion of the rear tucks 16 being visible in FIGURE 1. The third set of tucks is formed in the other side of the crown and opposite the tucks 15. All of the tucks extend substantially parallel to the rim of the cap.

The cap may be formed from a single piece of material cut into an appropriate configuration to allow for the formation of the flaps and the tucks. The side tucks are formed of three layers of the material as shown in the cross-sectional view of FIGURE 2. The material of the crown 10 first is folded back to form the two layers 17 and 18, which layers are sewn together along a line approximately three inches long and spaced approximately one-quarter of an inch from the fold 19, the thread being indicated by the numeral 20. A third fold 21 then is formed and the three folds are sewn together along a line spaced about one-eighth inch from the said fold, the thread being indicated by the numeral 22. The two stitch lines are substantially parallel to the rim 11 with the fold 19 spaced about three-eighths of an inch therefrom. The other side tucks are formed in. a similar manner. The rear tucks 16 are formed of three layers of the material, which layers are sewn together along a single stitch line spaced about one-eighth inch from the lower fold. Thus, the cap crown is provided with a plurality of tucks which can be let out in five different stages whereby a particular user can adjust the crown to fit his head.

The front flap may carry suitable advertising matter which becomes exposed to view when the helmet is in the raised position.

Having thus explained my invention, and improvements thereof, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A work cap for attachment to the headband of a Welders helmet and comprising,

(a) a crown terminating in a multi-layer rim,

(b) a front flap and two side flaps extending from said rim,

(c) cooperating snap fastener elements carried by the crown and each of the flaps, and

(d) a plurality of tucks formed in the crown, said tucks extending substantially parallel to the rim and positioned between the said flaps.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,512,128 10/1924 OBrien 2-202 1,994,212 3/ 1935 Davis 2-205 2,760,197 8/1956 Jones 2-8 JAMES R. BOLER, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

